POLYCLONAL AMANITIN-SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES - PRODUCTION AND CYTOPROTECTIVE PROPERTIES IN-VITRO

The amanitins found in several mushroom species are responsible for ma ny deaths every year. Based on its successful application to cardiac g lycoside overdose, immunotherapy could be applicable to amanitin toxic ity. Therefore, we produced polyclonal amanitin antibodies by immunizi ng rabbits with a novel conjugate of alpha-amanitin. Purified antibodi es had an average association constant for alpha-amanitin of 1.3 x 10( 9) M-1. A partially protective effect of the antibodies against amanit in toxicity in vitro in Chang cells was evident at a molar ratio of an tibody binding sites to alpha-amanitin of 4:1. Together with reported studies in vivo, these investigations indicate the potential of immuno therapy for amanitin poisoning.